Less Talk, Less Mistakes

No More Press Conference: Duterte

AREGULAR press conference and television talk show plus a new tabloid are likely to be the new norm of the government under President- elect Rodrigo Duterte, but the former Davao City mayor will not be there to answer questions from journalists, his spokesman said.

Duterte has shun away from journalists – Manila media for that matter – after he was strongly criticized for catcalling a female television reporter, Mariz Umali of GMA 7, whose husband Raffy Tima, also a reporter from the same network, publicly criticized him over the issue.

International watchdog Reporters without Borders called on the Philippine media to boycott Duterte’s news conference. And Duterte, faced with mounting condemnation by media and women’s groups for his tactless actions, told the media not to cover his activities anymore in Davao City and instead go back to Manila.

He also publicly shamed a Davao Citybased newspaper correspondent, whom he accused of disrespecting him when the journalist asked for his medical records even though he told the newsman that his health is okay. He named the journalist as ( Karlo) Manlupig, but the correspondent said it was not him and instead pointed to Dennis Santos – both of them write for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The tough- talking politician did not apologize to Manlupig, but presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said he will regularly hold press conferences, brief the media and answer questions for Duterte.

A television journalist, Martin Andanar, who was named by Duterte as his communications officer, said he would work closely with the media and launch a tabloid for the public to know the president’s program, including Duterte’s own television talk show “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” which would be aired on government television and radio stations.